Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

[Frustration]

When the themes and characterization are radically different from the source, I hold that renders the derivative work a poor adaptation. Jackson's love of extreme, literalized symbolism doesn't help.

[Thebestoftherest]

Just because they change the work doesn't mean it worst.

[Lazerlike42]

When the themes and characterization are radically different from the source, I hold that renders the derivative work a poor adaptation. Jackson's love of extreme, literalized symbolism doesn't help.

I do not agree that Jackson's films have themes and characterizations which are radically different from the source.

[Frustration]

Then I strongly suggest you seek out one of the free analyses of the relationships between the movies and the novels - the discussion groups lead by Corey Olsen, AKA The Tolkien Professor, are probably your best bet - and getting an independent opinion.

[tyrteg]

Interesting. Seems I found the one place on the internet where people actually like Rings of Power. At this point - it isn't even surprising. Frustration - or whoever's defending this... product - please explain to me how the premise of Warrrior-Princess Galadriel makes sense in our dear conservative Catholic Toliken's Middle-Earth? Last I checked - Galadriel was an ambitious elven lady who achieved things without needing to put on full plate armor and battling trolls with swords...

[Frustration]

Galadriel is unrecognizable. Tolkien established that she was something of an athlete in her youth, but not a warrior - and certainly not a miraculously-superior warrior who singlehandedly takes on a foe that an entire group of soldier-elves was somehow completely unable to fight.

It's pretty clear this entire production is an In-Name-Only version of Tolkien's world.

[Frustration]

When I think Galadriel, I think of someone more like, say, Delenn of Mir. Or even Susan Ivanova. Those were both female characters who, being well-written, could be both vulnerable and strong. And more importantly, both were likeable, unlike the entitled, ludicrously arrogant, and generally rather unpleasant 'Galadriel' presented in this miniseries.

Given the restrictions the production has had to work with, lacking rights to the Silmarillion, Book of Lost Tales, History of Middle Earth, or much of anything beyond the Appendices to the LotR, they would have been much wiser to tell a new story with new characters in the lands Tolkien never fleshed out. Harad, say. Or something involving the Blue Wizards, where there is almost no canonical lore to contradict, even whether they were successful or not.

Think of this as a series of movies. Then look at the quality of dialog, characterization, and plot. Amazon spent a billion dollars on this garbage, and it seems the only thing they got for all that money was some admittedly rather beautiful scenery.

[tyrteg]

I can't but agree with pretty much everything you just listed. As far as I've seen - Amazon could've burned a billion bucks in their yard and the result would be probably better - because at least it wouldn't generate negative publicity... That's why I'm so surprised to see people on SF Debris forum defending it.

[Lazerlike42]

Then I strongly suggest you seek out one of the free analyses of the relationships between the movies and the novels - the discussion groups lead by Corey Olsen, AKA The Tolkien Professor, are probably your best bet - and getting an independent opinion.

I've seen plenty of commentary of this sort and I've found most of it uncompelling and that it too often - though certainly not always - represents the kind of nitpicky obsession with minutiae that people making legitimate criticisms like the one you made of the RoP's depiction of Galadriel are often unfairly accused of having.

That doesn't mean I'm saying all such criticism is infantile - only that some is. Much of it is quite mature and well presented, but I have still not found much of it compelling.

If the films differ so radically from the source, what would you cite as the most egregious example?

[Lazerlike42]

When I think Galadriel, I think of someone more like, say, Delenn of Mir. Or even Susan Ivanova. Those were both female characters who, being well-written, could be both vulnerable and strong. And more importantly, both were likeable, unlike the entitled, ludicrously arrogant, and generally rather unpleasant 'Galadriel' presented in this miniseries.

Given the restrictions the production has had to work with, lacking rights to the Silmarillion, Book of Lost Tales, History of Middle Earth, or much of anything beyond the Appendices to the LotR, they would have been much wiser to tell a new story with new characters in the lands Tolkien never fleshed out. Harad, say. Or something involving the Blue Wizards, where there is almost no canonical lore to contradict, even whether they were successful or not.

Think of this as a series of movies. Then look at the quality of dialog, characterization, and plot. Amazon spent a billion dollars on this garbage, and it seems the only thing they got for all that money was some admittedly rather beautiful scenery.

I agree entirely, but what is most frustrating is that they seem to be deviating even from what they do have the rights to.